Castle of Trematon
Nestled within what has been described as ‘the most romantic garden in Cornwall’ lies the historic Castle of Trematon; spiritual home to House of Hackney, and actual home to our founders, Frieda and Javvy.
Read on to explore more about the Castle’s rich history and its extraordinary transformation.
HISTORY
From the Queen’s jewels to the Queendom of Nature
From the Queen’s jewels to the Queendom of Nature
Perched atop the ancient pagan hills once seen as the gateway between England and Cornwall, Trematon Castle – or, as we have come to call it, the Castle of Trematon – is a picture-postcard miniature Norman motte-and-bailey castle situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Tamar Estuary.
The Castle was built in 1068 by Robert, Count of Mortain to strengthen the hold of William the Conqueror following his triumph in the Battle of Hastings. In 1337, the castle was bestowed on Edward the Black Prince (a former Prince of Wales), for whom the Grade I-listed gatehouse was built and who, legend has it, only stayed there once. Then, two hundred years later, came the most swashbuckling moment in the castle’s history, when Elizabeth I ordered Sir Francis Drake to stash looted treasure – a hoard of gold, silver and emeralds pirated from Spanish ships while voyaging the Pacific Ocean – in Trematon Castle before it was later shipped to the Tower of London.
The castle then fell into neglect and ruin for centuries until, in 1807, the Duchy granted a 100-year lease to naval man Benjamin Tucker, alongside permission to construct a house within the castle courtyard. Yet more change came when part of the medieval castle wall was demolished to create a view from the house down to Plymouth Sound – and then again in 1812, when an ornate swimming pool was carved out in the lower reaches of the garden to commemorate a visit by the Prince Regent, who was later crowned George IV.
Now, the castle serves as the gateway to a mythical land dreamt up by its newest guardians; House of Hackney founders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle.
the interiors
A miniature museum for irreverent British design
A miniature museum for irreverent British design
At the heart of Trematon stands a grand Georgian house overlooking the castle courtyard. Built in 1808, the 9-bedroom building was designed by Benjamin Tucker, who bought a 100-year-lease on the castle after it had fallen into ruins. Tucker was a follower of Sir John Soane, the influential British architect noted for his original interpretations of Neo-Classical style – and so the architecture of the house reflects Soane’s love of symmetrical, light-filled spaces.
Since our founders Frieda and Javvy have become its new custodians, the house has undergone an extensive renovation; one that celebrates the castle’s intriguing history while welcoming in the botanical beauty of the surrounding gardens.
As Frieda and Javvy believe in the restorative virtues of color, the palette for the interiors draws inspiration from the serene natural tones found in the ground’s flowers and foliage – think a myriad of greens, lilacs, yellows, clay-pinks and earthy reds. Even the roof of the house is painted a lichen-green, as both an ode to Cornwall’s native moss and a symbol of the purity of its coastal air.
Adorned in House of Hackney’s iconic prints, the interiors also act as a miniature museum for irreverent British design. In keeping with our ethos of championing local factories and generations-old techniques, the décor is anchored by timeless yet characterful creations, crafted by artisans – the finest our fair isle has to offer.
the gardens
“The most romantic garden in Cornwall” – The Times
“The most romantic garden in Cornwall” – The Times
Illuminated by the light from where the Celtic sea meets the Tamar Estuary, the gardens are swathed with opulent borders and wild, romantic meadows to which Mother Nature herself is the only gardener – all offset by the 14th-century ruins and ramparts that conjure the medieval magic of the legends of King Arthur.
The castle keep sits atop a mound carpeted with wildflowers and banks of extravagant blooms, from rambling roses and pillowy peonies to lush lupines and fragrant lilies. Come the summer months, the air is cloaked in the scent of aromatic wild herbs; thyme, marjoram, woodbine and fennel.
The gardens then give way to an orchard – spangled with Poet’s narcissus and wild tulips growing underneath the apple and cherry trees – as well as enchanting woodland, where foxglove, magnolia and dogwood flourish amongst the ancient oaks. There are even palms - a House of Hackney signature- framing the magnificent view down to the estuary and beyond.
Within the wild gardens sit a 19th century gate lodge, transformed into an ode to William Morris; an old apple shed turned into a darkly romantic cabin with the florals of FLORIKA; a fleet of House of Hackney vintage caravans, and surrounded by sub tropical blooms, an Indian pool, imported as a token of love from a previous owner to another.
